Racking-off and cask-filling apparatus.



PATENTED FEB. 14, 1905.

G. W. JACKSON.

BACKING OFF AND GASK FILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OOT. 7 1901 RENEWED OUT. 25, 1904.

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Suva," You Qvihwoaco PATENTED FEB. 14, 1905.

G. W. JACKSON.

BACKING OFF AND GASK FILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 7. 1901. RENEWED OUT. 25, 1904.

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llNITED STATES ATENT GEORGEAV. JACKSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES M. TlGHE, OF lllILADELllllA, PENNSYLVANlA.

RACKlNG-OFF AND CASK-FlLLlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,251, dated February 14, 1905.

Application filed October '7, 1901. Renewed October 25, 1904. Serial No. 229,967.

TO it 7] 0071/0877 ground to form a joint, thereby providing a 50 Be itlcnown thatl, Gnonenll". JACKSON, of valve. Thus the short pipe or nozzle E can the city and county of Philadelphia, State of 1 be moved outwardly to close the communica- Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usetion between the pipe A and outlet-pipe E. ful lmprovement in Racking-Off and Caslcl This is especially useful, not only for the pur- Filling A iiparatus, of which the following is pose of cleaning thepipe A, but for closingoff 55 a specification. 1 any one of the pipes i) when there are several of My invention consists of an improved rackthem leading from the common supply-pipe ing-off and caslvlilling apparatus, as will be A. A tightjoint is madebetween thenozzleE IO hereinafter fully described and specifically and bushinglby meansof the washerS, held in claimed. place by the collar 9, screw-threaded upon the 60 Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a outerend of the bushingl. The flexiblepipe l) racking-otf and cask-filling apparatus conis coupled at its other end to a pipe-section F, structed in accordance with my invention. that carries at its lower end the valve-casing,

Fig. Zrepresents a vertical section of a portion (indicated as a whole by (1%,) said valve-casing thereof, taken on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 consisting of an upper enlarged section H and 5 represents a vertical section of a portion of Fig. a lower reduced section J, convenientlyjoined 2, showing the parts in a different position. by screw-threzuls, while a nut K screws on Fig. A represents a perspective view of a to the lower end of the lower section J and plate hereinafter referred to. Fig. represerves to compress between it and said section sents a sectional view of a bung employed in a washer L, through which the pipe M is 7 connection with my invention. Fig. 6 repreadapted to slide. The said pipe M iits closely sents a section, on an enlarged scale, of the within the lower section J and is provided joint between the supply and outlet pipes. at its upper end with a plurality of openings 5 Fig. T represents a partial side elevation and N, that are closed when they stand within the partialsectional view of the bung and locking reduced bore of the lower section J, the said 75 device on an enlarged scale. lower section .1 thus acting as a valve. The Similar characters of reference lndicate corupper end of the pipe ill is closed, and upon responding parts in the figures. the same is mounted a washer P, adapted to 3 Referring to the drawings, A designates rest upon the scat Q when the openings N of a supplypipe leading from any suitable 1 the pipe H are closed by the lower section J. source --for instance, from a cash of beer Resting upon the washer P is a plate R, havand in the further description of my invening inclined projections S, that come in contion, although its use is not confined to racktact with the upper end of the enlarged secing-off and filling CtlSkS with beer, 1 will use tion ll of the valve-casing Ur to limitthe relathis example as an illustration. The said tive longitudinal movement of the pipe ill and 5 pipe A is supported on the bracket B, which valve-casing in one direction, it being noted is carried by an upright or standard C. that when the washer P contacts with the seat 1) designates a flexible pipe or hose that Q longitudinal movement in the other direc- 4 connects with the short pipe E, extending tion is arrested.

into said pipe A. The short pipe E acts as a The pipe M is adapted to extend into a bar- 9 nozzle and slides through the bushing 1, rel and forms a passage through which the beer tapped into the pipe A. The extremity of is fed to the barrel, and its lower end is closed; nozzle E is closed, while its end portion is tabut the lower end portions are provided with pered, as at 2, said tapered portion being I lateral openings T, through which the beer provided with ports 3. The inner end of the i can pass into the barrel. The lower end portion of the pipe M also flares outwardly to fit into the flaring portion U of a movable coupopening through the bushing 1 is tapered, as at at, cm'respondmgly with the end portion of Y the nozzle E and said tapering portion being i ling V, said coupling being provided at its upper end with a washer W and gland X, through which the pipe M slides. The lower end of the coupling V is connected, by means of a flexible coupling Z,with a suitable portion of a pipe A, the said coupling V being also provided with an ofi'setB, having a passage therethrough, into which is adapted to be placed a cork or other suitable closure C, it being noticed that the said passage is at an angle to the main passage through the coupling V. The said pipe A is adapted to rest upon a suitable support, in the present instance upon the ring D of the bung, and is clamped thereto by means of the arms E, which are suitably secured to said pipe A.

F designates a connecting lug or nipple, with a passage therethrough, on the pipe A and which is connected with the pipe G by a coupling H, said pipe G being rigidly secured to a rod J, which latter and the pipe G support the controlling-valve, (designated as a whole by the reference-letter K,) said rod J being also secured to the weighted rod or bar L, which is guided in the eyes M, one end of which has connected therewith a chain or cord N, which passes over the pulleys P and has secured to its opposite end the weight Q. The construction of the controlling-valve K is as follows: R designates a chamber the walls of which are in the present instance formed of glass, and S designates a passage communicating with the interior of said chamber and with saidpipe G. Near the top of said chamber R is avalve T, having a threaded stem U, engaged by the nutV, said valve having a suitable valve-seat and is spring-actuated. WV designates a float-valve which is situated on the interior of said chamber R and is normally in the position seen in Fig. 2 and when seated closes the passage Z, leading to the valve T.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown two forms of bungs, in each of which the usual form of collar D is employed. The bung shown in Fig. 5 is especially adapted for use in connection with the racking-off and cask-filling apparatus above described and comprises a bushing D, which is screwed into the bunghole of the barrel, said bushing being provided with an inwardly-projecting seat or shoulder A at its inner end. The inner end portion of the side wall of the bushing D is cylindrical, while the outer end portion tapers, as shown at 5. The collar or stopper X" is provided with an outwardly-extending flange 6 at its inner end, that rests upon the seat A, while the exterior portion of said collar is tapered, as shown at 7, said tapered portion of collar being situated opposite the cylindrical portion of the bushing. To hold said parts in position and to close the bung, I employ a yielding washer B preferably of some compressible wood, that is first driven past the inclined portion 5 of the bushing D, which compresses the same, after which it is forced into the annular space between the cylindrical portion of the bung and the tapered portion of the collar, being wedged therein tightly, so that when the moisture from the barrel reaches said collar it is expanded with great force and holds the collarfirmly in position and closes the bung. The opening through the collar is closed, of course, by the stopper C, that is driven into the same in the manner hereinafter described.

The operation is as follows: The pipe M having been placed within the barrel or cask to be filled, the beer from the storage-receptacle is allowed to flow through the pipe A and passes through the pipe E into the pipe D, thence around the plate R and through the openings N of the pipe M, through the latter, and into the keg through the openings T. The air which is in the keg will pass out through the space between the walls of the pipe M and the collar X and into the pipe A and will then pass through the nipple F and the pipe G and through the passages S into the chamber R. From thence it will escape to the atmosphere by raising the valve T. This will continue until the beer fills the keg and the air is exhausted from the keg, when the beer will flow into the pipe A and thence into the chamber R until the float-valve W is elevated and closes the escape from the chamber R, the parts assuming the position seen in Fig. 1, so that the passage of the beer to the keg will be stopped. When this occurs, the operator raises the nut K, which elevates the lower reduced section J and seats the washer P upon the seat Q, so that the openings N will be closed and no more beer can pass into the pipe M, it being noted that when the coupling J is moved upward by the nut K the upper part H, connected with the flexible pipe D, is also raised by reason of the flexibility thereof. The pipe M is now raised or elevated until the flared end thereof fits the portion U of the movable coupling V, which is best seen in the right of Fig. 3, so that the openings T are closed, after which the coupling V is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 until the passage B is in line with the pipe A, it being noted that the amount of beer which has entered the pipe G and the chamber is of such a quantity as to equal the-amount of displacement caused by the pipe M in the keg and that hence this beer will flow back into the keg and fill the same completely. When this has occurred, the cork or bung C can be forced through the pipe A and engaged with the collar X of the bung, after which by proper manipulation of the clutch-arm E the pipe A is released from the bung and all the parts can be elevated by the operator, the weight Q assisting in this operation, as will be seen from Fig. 1.

It will be seen that a plurality of devices as described may be employed, thus permitting the filling of a number of barrels at one time, it being seen that as soon as one barrel is tilled it can be removed and an empty one placed in position.

It will of course be evident that slight changes may be made by those skilled in the art which will come within the scope of my invention, and I do not, therefore, desire to be limited in every instance to the exact construction herein shown and described.

In Fig. 7 l have shown, on a larger scale than in Fig. 2, the construction for connecting i the racking-on and lilling apparatus with the bung, comprising a rotatable cam 10, supported by a shoulder 11 on the lower end of pipe A and engaging hooks 12, having slotted connections with lugs 13 upon pipe A. The cam 10 is turned by handle 14, Fig. 1, and when the hooks 12 engage the rim of bushing D the device is held lirmly thereto. The lower end of pipe A receives the upper end of the collar X, while a gasket 15, seated in an annular groove in the lower end of pipe A, is compressed against the washer B and forms a tight joint.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a racking-off and cask-lilling apparatus, a main simply-pipe, a pipe leading therefrom, a second pipe adapted to be inserted into a cask, said second pipe having an opening at its upper end portion, a coupling between the upper end portion of said second pipe and said first-mentioned pipe, said second pipe being longitudinally movable relative to said coupling and adapted to open and close said opening, a coupling. for connecting said second-mentioned pipe with a keg or barrel and through which said second pipe is longitudinally movable, an opening at the lower end of said pipe adapted to be closed by the longitudinal movement thereof, means for permitting the escape of air from said cask, and means actuated by the liquid contents of the cask for closing said escape automatically.

2. in a racking-oil and cask-filling apparatus, a main supply-pipe, a pipe leading therefrom, a second pipe comn'iunicating with the first-mentioned pipe, a valve therebetween actuated by the relative longitudinal movement of said pipes, said second pipe being adapted to be inserted in a barrel, a valve communicating with the interior of said keg for permitting the escape of air therefrom, and means for closing said valve by the action 1 of the beer.

3. In a device of the character described, a pipe leading from a main supply-pipe, a second pipe communicating therewith and adapted to be inserted into a cask, a surrounding pipe through which said second-mentioned pipe passes, said surrounding pipe being provided with means for its attachment to a cask, a valve between said second pipe and surrounding pipe actuated by the relative movement of said second pipe, means for permit ting said second-mentioned pipe to be raised and lowered in said surrounding pipe, and means for permitting the insertion of a cork or bung in said surrounding pipe into the bung proper.

4. In a device of the character described, a pipe communicating with the interior of a keg or barrel, a pipe surrounding said first-mentioned pipe, a coupling, a flexible connection between said coupling and said surrounding pipe and passages in said coupling situated at an angle to each other.

5. In a racking-off and cask-lilling apparatus. a main sui )plypipe, a pipe leading therefrom, a second pipe communicating with the latter and adapted to be inserted into a keg or barrel, a litting upon the end of said second pipe and the pipe communicating therewith, lateral openings in the upper end of said pipe adapted to be closed by the longitudinal move ment of said litting, a coupling surrounding the lower portion of said second pipe and having an interior seat at its upper end, the lower end portion of said second pipe having lateral openings adapted to be closed by said seat, an outlet from said coupling to permit the escape of the air from said barrel, and means actuated by the liquid contents of the barrel for closing the said escape automatically.

6. In a device of the character described, a pipe leading from a source of supply and adapted to be inserted into a keg, a second pipe surrouiulil'ig said pipe and provided with means for its attachment to a keg, a valve controlling an inlet to said first-mentioned pipe and actuated by the relative movement thereof, said pipe being movable longitudinally within said surrounding pipe, and means for permitting the insertion of a cork or bung through said surrounding pipe into the bung proper.

GEORGE W. J ACKSON Witnesses:

HARRY Com: KENNEDY, C. l). MUVAY. 

